Australia cannot guarantee legal protection for asylum seekers and private contractors who wish to give potentially damning evidence at the upcoming Senate inquiry into the Manus Island disturbances, the clerk of the Senate has said.
The Senate clerk, Rosemary Laing, has written to the committee, formed to investigate events on the island from 16 February – 18 February, to outline the limited protection Australia can afford to asylum seekers and contractors who may wish to give evidence.
The clerk’s advice suggests the investigation into events at the island will be a difficult process. The circumstances of Barati’s death and the timeline of events during the unrest is still subject to significant uncertainty.
Laing said the committee could seek assurances from the PNG government that there would be no consequences for those who gave evidence – but she added such an undertaking would be limited, because whether it could protect them from retribution from detainees, contractors or other locals “is another question”.
The private contractor G4S, which is no longer running the centre, employed a quota of local staff who were subject to PNG laws and contracts. If their contracts contain confidentially clauses the Senate inquiry will not be able to protect them from potential action against them by their employers or by the PNG government.
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That enqiry doesn't look like it's going to cleared up anytime soon.
